This was emailed to me a few days ago. Looks like an easy thing to do. Thanks for the idea Patrick can't wait to see the next mods.

Email Below:

Hello - Love the site and keep it up - awesome. You should put a post on 

woodweb.com about the site and that will drive people very interested in 
your site.


Attached are pictures of my woodmaster 725 mod cause i was sick of the time 
and energy to remove and replace the top.

The hinge is a padlock hasp I purchased from walmart.
- I drilled 2 holes in the black base and bolted the short part of the hasp 
& 3 holes in the woodmaster lid and bolted it on.
- I cut off the threads that usually have the nuts to bolt on the top.
- I cut 2 notches in the feed in side of the lid to clear the frame
- I cut off a piece to clear the feeder pully

All of this in less then 20 minutes and wrestling with the heavy top is a 
thing of the past. The top swings back and out of the way and even with the 
bed nearly raised to the top there is room for me to get in and change out 
the planer for the sander etc.

I have no problem with this mod and wish the woodmaster came with a similar 
lid function. Note the lid opens all the way no problem by simply letting 
the bed down an inch or two as the outfeed side of the lid will hit the 
outfeed table.

I obtained this very idea from another very similar mod from another forum.

Next mod will be the stupid motor bracket - I cannot stand haveing to move 
the motor every time I switch from planer/molder pully to the larger sander 
pully. For that I will be doing the hinged motor mount like you allready 
have seen online. I will do reversing switch in the future as well as a 
digital hight reader.

This is a great way to turn your woodmaster planer into a 2 sided planer. I have add a 7.5hp motor to a new outfeed table made from 3/16 thick steel. The outfeed table is standard size so that it will work with the power platform and the shaft is the accessory shaft from woodmaster. Even the pulley is the stock pulley from woodmaster.

Addition of Forum UPDATE

Thanks to everyone for the site suggestions. I have added a user forum, it is in a testing stage and I am hoping to get some feedback. So please let me know what you think.

Ok, I've changed to a new forum style which I like much better.  

Please add your questions and ideas to the forum. I'd love to see woodmaster or general planing/molding topics.

Thanks,

Justin

May Review: PP118 Power Platform

This month I’ll be reviewing the power platform for the WM718.
This is part # PP118 and sells for $249.00. The power platform has many uses, it provides extra support to the feed stock by the additional feed roller. It also is used in combination with the mop sander and the router attachments which mount directly on top of the power platform. 
I use it mostly for the extra support provided by the extra feed roller. My second spindle is located right in front of this roller. This helps to support the stock as it’s feed through the planer. 
In my opinion the WM718 should come stock with four feed rollers like its big brother the WM725. The extra feed roller helps to eliminate snipe on both the infeed and outfeed sides of the machine. 
Basically the power platform is stamped sheet metal frame just like the planer itself. Everything is made so that it will bolt up without any modifications to the planer. Simply bolt it on, install the drive pulley (which mounts to the stock outfeed roller)and belt and your ready to go. 

Pro’s
Extra support on the outfeed side of the planer.
Provides a mounting plate for attachments, such as a router and the mop sander.

Con’s
The sheet metal design lacks the strength of a welded together frame.
It can only be mounted on the outfeed side of the planer. Although this is where it would be primarily needed, the ability to mount it on the infeed side would add more flexibility.
 




Best Regards,
Justin

April Review: Woodmaster Feed Rollers

This month I’ll be reviewing the Woodmaster feed rollers. Woodmaster carries two different styles of feed roller for their planers. The first is a rubber coated steel core roller that comes stock on the planers. The second is a solid steel serrated roller.

Pros & Cons of the rubber roller

Pro; The rubber roller leaves no makes on the stock.
Pro; The rubber rollers will grip and conform to odd shapes.

Con; The rubber roller does not have near the strength or rigidness as the solid steel roller.
Con; The rubber roller wears and allows groove to be cut into them if the stock gets stuck in the planer.


Pros & Cons of the Steel roller

Pro; Super grip due to the deep grooves.
Pro; Unparalleled rigidity due to it solid steel design.

Con; Rollers leave marks on softer stock.
Con; Steel roller does not absorb shock or adapt for unevenness in stock.

Final Thoughts:

I currently use both types of rollers on my equipment. For Log Siding and moldings I always use the rubber rollers. When gang sawing, for stakes and hubs or sizing hardwood stock to size, I use the solid steel serrated roller.  


Best Regards,
Justin

Woodmasters Customer Service

I’ve noticed several posts on the web regarding Woodmasters good customer service. Let me say there is no better service anywhere, period! This week I experienced my first warranty issue. The feed motor one of my WM718’s finally gave out, keep in mind this motor has run well over one hundred and fifty thousand feet through it. Over the past few months I’ve noticed a loss of power so I changed the brushes, and as long as the weather was warm I had no issues, but in extreme temperature changes such as this winter, it would stall and sputter. So I called Woodmaster spoke with the customer service department and the very next day a brand new motor was sitting on my front porch. Since it was under warranty there was no charge and all they asked was that I send my old motor back to them. This is the first time I’ve not needed to fill out a form, send my old motor in and six weeks later a new motor would arrive. Again all I can say about Woodmasters customer service it's the best!!

Best Regards,
Justin

March Review: WM718 Planer/Molder

I’ve owned my WM718 planer/molders for about four years now, so I’ve been through all the ups and downs. I picked up my planers from Woodmaster located in Kansas City Mo. and eagerly raced home with them. I purchased mine with the optional 7 1/2hp motors, everything else was standard equipment. 

After uncrating and installing the casters I was done! I rolled the two WM718’s into place and I was off. Keep in mind that this was the first time in my life I had ever touched a planer/molder.

I ran the planer for about half a day with the stock planer knives in it before switching to the log siding knives in which the WM718’s were purchased for. I removed the dust collector hose and the machine hood to revile the cutter head. I unbolted the morse taper ends and carefully removed the cutter head. The log siding knives were ground perfectly and I was able to install them quickly. I set up the stock guides and by the end of the day I was cutting log siding like a pro.

Now a few years later and at least 250,000 ft. of siding, molding, gang sawing, and flat planing run through these two machines. I can say I’ve experienced nearly every problem that could ever happen.  

Now for the highlights

Frame & Design
The machine frame is built from stamped steel. Although I would prefer a cast iron frame. This frame is surprisingly strong and stable. The machines design is fairly common with a rigid head and adjustable table. The footprint is compact but adequate, approximately 2 ft. by 4ft.

The Drive motor & cutter head
The standard drive motor for the WM718 is a 5hp single phase AC motor. This motor is more than enough power for nearly anything you could put through the machine. As for the cutter head it comes stock with a solid steel head with three flat planer knives factory installed.

The feed system
The standard feed motor is a 1/6hp DC gear motor with a variable adjustment from 0 to 16 feet per minute.  
This motor uses a belt system to drive the rubber coated steel core feed rollers which are spring loaded.

The table & height adjustment
The main part of the table is cast iron and has stamped steel in and out feed table extensions. The table extensions are slotted for adjustable guides to keep stock running straight.
The table height is adjusted with a hand crank. This crank is connected by a chain drive to four threaded rods.  


Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s

Dollar for dollar Woodmaster has some of the best deals in the business, this machine is no exception. With its strong motor, 5 year warranty, and ease of use. This machine will make money!!!!!

Con’s

I’m not in love with the spring loaded feed rollers. I would have preferred something that moved the rollers up and down evenly in order to keep even pressure on the board.

Best Regards,
Justin